the movements

feeling that first kick was unlike anything anyone could ever have prepared me for. i was sitting on the couch with head phones on my belly when i felt the little bean kick or punch my hand.
of course filled with pregnancy hormones (and just being a human in general) i balled my eyes out.

you go from knowing there's a baby in there to actually feeling it.

as the weeks go by and the countdown to baby gets smaller and smaller, the movements get bigger and bigger. i can now sit and watch my stomach just poke out in certain places.
this little nugget moves all the time. morning noon and night. especially at night i might add when mommy is all ready for bed.

that's when the tickle ones come.
it's amazing to me how long this kid is. i can feel the baby move on both sides of my belly at the same time. and when i lay down, it straight up feels like someone is in there tickling me.

there's times when i can feel what i think is a leg or an arm almost poking out (kinda weird, but if you felt it, you'd know how amazing it is).

these increase in movements have me totally mesmerized and in awe of what God is doing. to think that He's given me the gift to fully sustain another humans (my tiny humans) life, is amazing. and holy cow, a ton of pressure. but always always amazing.

i can't, and honestly don't ever want to get used to the kicks. i in fact announce the baby's movement every time it starts the gymnastics routine no matter where i am or who i'm with. they of course always stop moving right when someone (mostly daddy) puts their hand on my belly, already playing jokes.

i don't want to get used to them because i think it might take away some of the wonder i have with God. because at this point in the game, i am totally and completely in awe of what God is doing in there. i mean, really. there is a HUMAN growing inside of me.

we're currently in round one of our gymnastics routine for the day. so i'm going to go cheer my kid on.

week twenty - twenty two

yes. i missed some weeks but it happens. twenty three and twenty four didn't get any photos taken, but it should be noted that i made the sign for them. so my efforts were met half way.

mommy is feeling: so so so great! 

weight gain: at our check up i hit 150! so i'm up about 10 pounds so far (not including the weight i lost from being so sick)

food cravings: mexican food. all day errr day. 

food aversions: salsa out of a jar, and bbq. still. and chipotle. still going strong on these ones. 

maternity clothes: maternity jeans have been purchased. the belly band and i broke up. although those are regular pants i'm still in, in this picture. 

movement: feeling the baby move more and more. as soon as i feel a kick i try to get sonny to feel it too, but then the baby stops. it's this slightly annoying game we've been playing. 

emotions: all.over.the.place. being half way brings a ton of them. 

sleep: other than waking up in the middle of the night to use the potty, sleep has been really great. including the two hour naps during the day. 

favorite moment of the week: we got to see our little nugget at our 20 week doctors appointment! i cried like a baby when we got into the car because i'm just so in love already. last time we got a "picture" of them, it was this tiny tadpole and now it's a human. they flexed their arm at us which was adorable (no you won't be seeing pictures of my unborn child on the internet. maybe a blog on that later. sorry). the feet look huge, but hello, look at daddy. 

things i'm praying about: for this child to grow up and know Jesus. 

looking forward to: daddy to feel a kick!  

mommy is feeling: really great! that pregnancy glow has really hit and i'm feeling so great! 

weight gain: 150 and heading north from there! 

food cravings: mexican food. all day errr day. 

food aversions: salsa out of a jar, and bbq. still. and chipotle. i'm so sorry to admit this. 

maternity clothes: pretty much all i wear. on occasion a dress i had before, but only if there's enough room. 

movement: daddy felt the baby kick for the first time! it was the sweetest moment! and i'm glad he realizes that i wasn't making up these kicks because for a while every time the baby kicked, i'd grab his hand and then they would stop. 

emotions: they've been in check lately. other than just crying at little things like baby commercials and the norm. 

sleep: my hips have started to hurt at night when i'm sleeping, which makes me feel like an old woman. but a pillow between my legs helps so much. i wake up and move a lot...and to use the restroom. at least twice. 

favorite moment of the week: daddy feeling the baby kick!

things i'm praying about: for this child to grow up and know Jesus. 

looking forward to: more movement! 

little world changers

sunday at church our pastor gave a really great sermon about the influence a mother has in her children's lives.

i was all over that sermon.
so much so that i just listened to it again.

it's so jam packed with amazing that the link to it is included at the end of this blog. so when you're done reading this, go listen.

the part that really made me think was when he said mothers are building up world changers. that as a mother, i've been called by God to raise up my tiny humans to make a difference.

talk about some serious pressure.
but when i really think about it, it's a beautiful pressure to be put on my shoulders.

from the day i birth my babies to the day they turn eighteen, i have the ability to build them up, or tear them down. i'm in the position to speak life to them, or to constantly yell. i have the ability to instill in them Godly values, or let the world have it's way with them.

and it might not be the popular way.
but.
i'm deciding now, that the influence i'll have on my children will be to raise them up in the name of Jesus to love the Lord and be world changers. to see the world differently. to love people well. and to grow in God's grace.

the closer we get to meeting our little nugget the more i realize that parenting isn't just making sure they eat and sleep. it isn't just making sure they get to baseball practice on time, or make sure they have a present for that birthday party. it isn't hounding them until they make all A's in school.

parenting is a chance to raise up Godly men and women. it's a chance to change future generations.

"mothers are called through their sons and daughters to change the course of history and to bring forth world changers."

there's so much about parenting that i don't have a clue about.
but what i do know, is that i have influence over my children.

the way i choose to live my life, will affect theirs.
they way i choose to use my words, will affect the way they use theirs.
the way i choose to handle tough situations, will affect the way they handle theirs.

i'm going to let my life be a life that's worth looking up to. and not in a conceded way.
but i want my children to remember me as being a Godly woman.

i want them to remember that i didn't yell and scream at them when they did something wrong.
i want them to remember that i parented well, without putting fear in them.
i want them to remember that at times i was wrong, and i admitted it.
i want them to remember that i loved well, in turn making them love well.

"a mother holds a significant amount of influence in the way she speaks, and the way she lives her life."

raising a child can't be easy. hello, i was one once, and i promise you i was not an easy child to raise. but. i hear it can be the most rewarding thing on the planet.
and so no, i don't want to mess this up.
because it's a short window that i have with my babies until they all grow up.
and for those short eighteen years i want to make sure i point them to Jesus in everything i do.

we live in a very fast paced, technologically driven world. which can be wonderful at times, but also scares the crap out of me when it comes to my children. 

sonny and i joke all the time that we're going to be the worlds meanest parents because of how little technology our kids will have. it's something we've decided on now. so that it doesn't become a problem. i also just read an article, ok a bunch of articles, on how children really shouldn't watch tv before their two. and that kids who watch the average amount of tv kids are watching these days (before the age of 5) create problems down the road. but did we really need to be told these things? 

"our homes need to be saturated with God."

am i crazy to think my kids won't watch tv before their two? no, i'm not. but. i'm going to do everything i can to not let that tv become a constant babysitter. because there's no way letting a child watch tv every day for long periods of time is having them saturated in God. 

i'm going to monitor what my kids watch. and yes. even disney channel shows. i'm going to monitor the time they spend in front of the tv. i'm going to make sure that tv is never the first thing they want to do. 

because i want my house saturated with God. 

because satan will be knocking at my front door. 

i honestly can not wait to be a mommy. i can't wait to raise up this child (and their siblings) to know God. 

i can't wait to raise up my little world changers. 

*all quotes from the sermon*

http://churchintheson.com/series/mothers-day/

week eighteen & nineteen

 

*i'm combining these two weeks because they were pretty much the same*

mommy is feeling: really great! that pregnancy glow has really hit and i'm feeling so great! 

weight gain: i'm going to say 5 here, because again, i'm not keeping track but i have notice the scale going up

food cravings: mexican food. all day errr day. 

food aversions: salsa out of a jar, and bbq. still. and chipotle. i'm so sorry to admit this. 

maternity clothes: maternity jeans have been purchased. the belly band and i broke up. 

movement: I FELT A KICK! i instantly cried my eyes out at the amazement. i was just watching tv and could feel them in there moving and then boom! a little poke on my finger. God is so amazing and i am over the moon. 

emotions: they've been in check lately. other than just crying at little things like baby commercials and the norm. 

sleep: my hips have started to hurt at night when i'm sleeping, which makes me feel like an old woman. but a pillow between my legs helps so much. i wake up and move a lot...and to use the restroom. at least twice. 

favorite moment of the week: feeling that first kick. i still just can't even. 

things i'm praying about: for this child to grow up and know Jesus. 

looking forward to: our 20 week ultra sound! 

a 20 week letter

dear baby,

you're currently kicking mommy, which i can't even begin to tell you how much i love.
but here we are at 20 weeks.
half way to meeting you in person.

today we got to see you up close and personal, and i know i'm really biased here. but. you're already the cutest baby alive. we saw your hands and feet up close, and you even flexed those arms for the camera. i think you've got a steiner nose...but i'm not sure where you're getting those luscious lips from. but i can't wait to kiss them. i think you already have your daddy's big feet. you're above average in size, which i'm proud of. and also not surprised considering who your daddy is.

we're completely smitten with you already.

i've waited for this bench mark week to get here for quite sometime. you see, aunt minda is getting married this week, and i get to see some very wonderful friends, and being half way through this pregnancy has just got me all emotional.

but you'll learn that about your mommy.
i tend to be a bit of an emotional person.

i've been counting down the weeks to see you today. because last time we saw you, well it was hard to see even you. you were still this little...blob. please don't take it personal. it's the truth.
but today. today we got to see all of you.
well not all of you. we're keeping some parts of you a surprise.

i have to be honest and tell you that mommy was a little nervous about today. it's basically been the first time we could see and make sure that everything was growing and developing just as it should. it's not that i didn't think it would be...but i'm human. i did know though that no matter what. the Creator of the Universe, the God Who placed the stars in the sky, has created you with the same beauty. every single part of you was put into being on purpose.
i'm going to tell you that all the time, so get used to it.
i trust that God has made you perfect in His image. which you already are.

i still just can't believe that i'm halfway through this pregnancy.
it's been a little bit of a tough road so far. but you're worth every second i didn't feel well.
we're pretty much on the second leg of the tour here. i have a feeling the next twenty weeks are going to fly by, and i honestly hope they do.

because little one, i can't wait to meet you.

i love you more than you'll ever know,
mommy

week sixteen & seventeen

mommy is feeling: other than the mornings, i'm back to normal...minus still being pretty sleepy. but i am so thankful for that

weight gain: i've done a terrible job at keeping track of this. but i think a pound or two

food cravings: mexican food and french fries

food aversions: still on the salsa thing. i know. it's weird. also adding bbq to the list. i'm not sure where this one came from either but just typing it makes my stomach turn

maternity clothes: maternity shorts! as seen in the photo above. it's already summer time in florida and the belly band just isn't working with shorts anymore. 

movement: flutter city!! i felt the first little flutter at a wedding i was shooting and immediately ran to call sonny. it was the most amazing feeling in the world. if i could try and describe it, i'd say it's like someone trying to tickle you...from the inside. 

emotions: i cry all the time at everything. just the thought of somethings make me cry. holy preggo emotions.

sleep: getting a little tough. not super comfy all night long, but getting lots of rest. 

favorite moment of the week: feeling that little monkey move around! i can't even begin to describe how amazing it was. 

things i'm praying about: for this child to grow up and know Jesus, like really know Jesus and love Him.

looking forward to: an actual kick! 

(the cutest big brother)

mommy is feeling: same as last week, which is good! 

weight gain: at the doctors office i gained 3 pounds since our last visit

food cravings: still loving mexican food. and apples. or apple juice which ever, i want it. 

food aversions: salsa out of a jar, and bbq. 

maternity clothes: just maternity shorts, but thinking about some maternity jeans. the belly band is great but it's getting a bit tight with my jeans. 

movement: still moving around and tickling mommy! it happens mostly at night (which i've heard happens) but no matter when it is, i love every second of it. i'll stop mid sentance to anyone near me when they move around in there just to say "the baby is moving!" 

emotions: all of them. 

sleep: my hips have started to hurt at night when i'm sleeping, which makes me feel like an old woman. but a pillow between my legs helps so much. 

favorite moment of the week: still all the movement. it's so amazing. 

things i'm praying about: the next five months to go by quickly but intentionally. 

looking forward to: a real kick! 

week fourteen & fifteen

mommy is feeling: much better, hallelujah amen than ya Jesus. still waking up feeling pretty nauseous but i take a zofran and i'm good to go. 

weight gain: none, i lost some. since the doctors appointment i got down to 138 from 145. not on purpose. and i'm not sure how because i eat french fries. a lot. 

food cravings: i was with my big sister and she was on the phone with her hubs and they mentioned eating at buffalo wild wings and the minute she said it my mouth started salivating. i went. i got wings. it was delicious. 

food aversions: still on the salsa thing. i know. it's weird. 

maternity clothes: nothing yet, still just that good old belly band! 

movement: nugget is in there moving around but i can't feel anything yet. oh goodness, that i can't wait for. 

emotions: not only am i pregnant, but i hosted a bridal shower for my baby sister. so yea, there was all the emotions going on this week. 

sleep: finally feeling like i'm catching that second wind!  

favorite moment of the week: seeing reagan and her first response to me was, "wow aunt meggy, your belly is big!"

things i'm praying about: there are some big things coming up for us that we need to get/purchase for our little growing family. 

looking forward to: seeing this belly grow! 

fact. i picked that orange out of my backyard. 

mommy is feeling: still really good! 

weight gain: up 2 pounds! 

food cravings: apples. all the apples i can get. 

food aversions: salsa. ew.

maternity clothes: still rocking that belly band. and a lot of stretchy pants. and this dress! 

movement: nugget is in there moving around but i can't feel anything yet. oh goodness, that i can't wait for. 

emotions: i cry and the dumbest things. happy things, sad things. all the things make me cry. 

sleep: i'm moving around a lot at night which wakes me up. and this week i've been so exhausted.  

favorite moment of the week: shooting my first wedding pregnant. my bride was amazing, and knew i was pregnant and kept asking how i was. seriously the sweetest. 

things i'm praying about: that first movement to be felt! 

looking forward to: our doctors appointment in week 17!